Kozy Yak Brewery hopes to boost downtown Rosholt

Sep. 23, 2013

Richard Kosiec brews specialty and seasonal beer at his micro-brewery and winery in Rosholt. The brewery also offers homemade pizza and pretzels and has seating for about 25 people. / photos by Luke Ranker/Gannett Central Wisconsin Me

About Kozy Yak Brewery

ROSHOLT — From the outside, 197 N. Main St. looks like any other house in the small town of Rosholt, but it’s not a home. It’s the site of Kozy Yak Brewery and Fresar Winery.

Richard Kosiec and his wife, Rosemary Richmond, opened Kozy Yak almost one year ago because the couple shares a love for wine. They began growing grapes and decided to add beer to the mix last year. To to serve both wine and beer, Kosiec said, state law mandates they offer food as well. The brewpub features handmade pizzas and homemade German-style soft pretzels along with their selection of beer and wine.

On tap, customers can find four constant beers: a cream ale, a red beer, a porter and an IPA. Kosiec also offers a seasonal brew and a specialty beer that he changes about every week, depending on how it sells.

It’s evident the brewmaster likes to have fun. Kozy Yak is a play on the pronunciation of Richard‘s last time, and he designs a unique label for each specialty beer that features a yak head. He spoke with Gannett Central Wisconsin Media about their business and hopes for the future.

Question: Why did you choose Rosholt for your business?

Answer: My family took trips here in the ’50s. I grew up here indirectly. I remember when Rosholt was booming in the ’60s and ’70s. We moved up here to take care of my parents. We didn’t want to give up our love of wine, so we brought that with us. Since the town was drying up, there were a lot of open buildings downtown.

Q: With other breweries in the area, what makes Kozy Yak unique?

A: We’re not just a brewery or a brew-pub. The combination of brewery and winery is pretty unique. I don’t know of another one in the whole state.

Q: What do you hope Kozy Yak can bring to the small town?

A: We figure the way we can help the community best is to bring people into downtown Rosholt and to fix up a couple downtown buildings. There’s so much here, we just need a little more life in downtown.

Q: This house seats only 25 people, but you also own the brick building across Main Street. Are there plans for expansion soon?

A: We definitely have plans for some kind of expansion. We’re getting close to our limit inside this building. By next fall, we’ll need a new facility if growth continues. By the end of next year, we’ll have the brewery across the street. That would open up space in here.

Q: Are there challenges in operating both a winery and brewery?

A: All alcohol is basically the same. It’s just the ingredients and how you get to the end result. No matter what you do, you start with the same process, but you either use grain or fruit. It can be pretty difficult.